Loss of a child
by Moosai
Summary: The loss of a child is never easy, nor is the loss of a child you THOUGHT you lost, but was right under your nose all along.


Disclaimer: Own story, not actual show or characters

 **1: Special Day**

Spencer found himself staring at his apartment ceiling. He had work in about an hour but he didn't want to face the world right now. Today was a special day, but it was also a day the young genius does not like to remember. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't stop his mind from wandering to the past. The day when he lost his soul, his heart, his child.

His phone brought him out of his mind.

"Hello?" asked the exhausted man.

"Pretty boy! Want me to pick you up?" asked Morgan.

"No, I'm fine," the man tried to sound happy over the phone, but as usual, Morgan can see right through him.

"What's wrong, kid? Is it your mom?" asked Morgan with concern.

"It's nothing, Morgan. I'll see you, okay?" Before Derek could reply, Reid hung up. He sighed and got up to get ready for work.

At work, he avoided Morgan's concerned and curious stares. He just wanted to get this day over with and Morgan looking at him was not helping to keep his mind off his problem. The day went on as normal with the team having a new case.

"Alright my lovelies, this one's a heartbreaker," Garcia said rushing it with the TV remote, "25 year old Charlie Brooks and his husband 35 year old Richard Gray were attacked in their home, but, and get ready for this, the attacker only took their 3 year old child."

"Why is this federal case? Usually missing children are police line of work," said Prentiss.

"Is it because kidnapper does not usually just come into the home and take the kid? They usually get them alone and out of sight of the parent or guardian," said Rossi.

"All very good answers, but this is the fifth report about the exact crime," said Garcia. She pulled up the other victims.

"Why hasn't anyone done anything?" asked Rossi.

"The kidnapper always seems to get away I guess," shrugged Garcia.

"They all look alike. He seems to have a type," said Reid looking at the screen. Something was off about these victims, but he can't place his finger on it.

"Sexual?" questioned Prentiss

Morgan shook his head, "I don't think so. None of them turned up dead, and if he was collecting them, that's a lot of boys to look after. Also, the whole kidnapping in the home doesn't sit right with me. If he wanted them for sexual purposes, he would have gotten them alone in case he had to fight the parents, and all of these parents are men. He would have been outnumbered at least because no parent just lets their kids get taken."

"Alright, there's no need to pack since the case is here. Reid and Morgan, I want you to question the two couples who recently lost their son. Emily and Rossi, I want you two to talk the police officer that handled this case. The unsub might strike again, so let's try and find something we can use," said Hotch.

Reid and Morgan sat opposite to the distraught couple.

"We know this difficult to have to talk about, but we need to ask you a few questions about what happened," said Derek sincerely.

"What more do you need to know? Our child was kidnapped, why are you just sitting here instead of looking for him?!" asked Charlie in tearful anger.

"Shh, calm down love, they're only trying to help. Why don't you take a break?" said Richard as he led his husband away from the two agents. "I'm sorry about that. We're taking it pretty hard, especially Charlie. He gave birth to our Jake, and sometimes I think he loves him more than me," said Richard in a joking manner.

"No one blames you or your husband. Now, let's start from the beginning," said Morgan.

Reid was looking around the house for any clues. He came across the family portrait. Charlie on the left, Richard on the right, and their 3 year old Jake in the middle.

'They look so happy.'

 _Flashback_

 _A boy with slightly curly brown hair and brown eyes was walking down the sidewalk with an equally smaller boy about 3 years old walking beside him hands held together._

" _How much longer, papa?" asked the little boy._

" _Just a little more, my heart," said the older man with a smile._

 _The little boy pouted. "But I'm tired papa!" he whined._

 _The older of the two stopped, "I'm sorry, baby. Papa will get a car soon, okay?" He carried the little boy all the way to the picture shop._

" _Hello! How many I help you?" asked the store lady._

" _Hello, we would like to get our pictures taken," said the older man_

" _Alright, please follow me," replied the woman._

 _The man and the little boys sat were led to a room with a white background. The man pulled the boy on his lap._

" _Now, smile for the camera!" exclaimed the lady happily._

" _Wait, papa, what about daddy?" asked the boy._

" _Daddy can't come. I'm sorry sweetheart," said the man sadly. He hated seeing the little boy's eyes look towards the ground like that._

 _The little boy was a bit sad about his daddy not being here. Maybe he was home with that person that was not papa again doing what papa calls "grown up activities" again._

 _They took their picture and left to enjoy the rest of their day without daddy._

 _End of flashback_

"Are you okay?" asked a voice.

Reid jumped slightly surprise but soon turned around, "No, I'm fine."

"I can tell you're not. What are you homophobic or something?" asked Charlie, "I met a lot of you homophobic cops, and I could tell a lot of you don't really care to be polite when given the chance."

"I'm an FBI agent and I'm not homophobic," said Reid quietly.

"Whatever," said Charlie in a dismissive tone. He looked at Reid for a few seconds before saying, "come, your partner is gonna be there a while, and you look like you could use some of the tea I'm about to make."


End file.
